Running-gear for automobiles.



No. 64mm). Patented A r. I7, 1900.

L. T. mass.

RUNNING GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

(Application filed Dec. 11, 1899.; (No Model.)

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TM: NORRIS PETERS coy. PHOYO-LITHQ, msmuurou, n. c. v

No. 647,600. Patented Apr. 17, I900. L. T. GIBBS.

RUNNING GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Applicatio n filed Dec. 11, 1899.)

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,;4/1' 5 THE NORRIS PETERS 50.. PHOTO-LITHOU WASHINGTON. D.

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IIllClUS T. GIBBS OF NE\V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CLARENCE VVAINWVRIGIIT WOOD, OF SAME PLACE.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR AUTOMO BILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 647,660, dated April 17, 1906. Application filed December 11, 1899. Serial No. 739,955. (l lo model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUoIUs T. GIBBS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Running- Gear for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobiles of every description as regards motive power; and it consists in certain novel combinations of parts in their running-gear, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The leading objects of this invention are to wholly dispense with any connection whatever between the front and rear axles themselves and to render the four wheels as nearly independent of each other as practicable, and thus to secure greater flexibility in the running-gear. This is of great practical importance, as on rough roads the front wheel on one side may be six inches higher than the wheel directly behind it, or even the wheel on the same axle, due to ruts or stones.

Heretofore in automobiles the reach type of running-gear has been generally used in practice, the two axles being connected to gether fore and aft by a reach or reaches or an equivalent framework. In some cases the reaches are attached to the axles by a flexible connection; but severe twisting strains are inevitably present when two reach-connected axles are obliged to move in different horizontal planes. The present invention wholly dispenses with such connection.

Another object of this invention is to transmit directly to the sills of the body the strain due to driving the vehicle and the shocks due to the wheels striking depressions or stones in the roadway. In the reach type no connection of the running-gear to the body is made that is adapted to resist such strains and shocks in the first instance, except by the fastening of the springs to the body. The inertia of the body and its load must therefore be overcome by way of the leaves of the springs, and any shocks due to obstructions are taken in the same manner. By avoiding this the springs are not only protected and the employment of lighter and easier springs rendered practicable, but an even motion 1S port a brake mechanism, and preferably one of the band type, in effective working relation to a pair of wheels by means of pedestalboxes, and to carry the whole weight of the motor or motors, and preferably a pair of such motors, upon one and the same axle,

whereby steering-heads forming part of the other axle are subjected to less strain and the accomplishment of said leading objects is promoted.

The means whereby each of said objects is accomplished are hereinafter set forth with reference to two sheets of drawings which accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings are smallscale side and top views of the improved running-gear, the near wheels and brake-band be ing removed in the side view. Figs. 3 and 4are rear elevations, respectively, of the parts at one end of the front axle and those at one end of the rear axle; and Fig. 5 is a top view of the rear axle and its appurtenances of an improved single-motor equipment.

Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

In either form of the improved runninggear the axles A and A of two pairs of wheels W and are effectively supported Without any connection whatever between the axles themselves and so as to transmit strains and shocks from the wheels and axles to 0 the sills of the body X said, by means of pairs B C directly, as aforeof boxes B and movable vertically in pedestals C and which are bolted or otherwise rigidly attached at top to such sills and slotted or 5 otherwise adapted to guide such pedestalboxes and to limit their individual vertical movements. Each axle serves, together with a skeleton frame-plate C at top, to connect the pedestal-boxes of its pair with each other,

so as to render the respective pedestals mutually braced against spreading or otherwise provide one of the 55 be of any approved kind.

yielding'to lateral strains, and suitable springs E, which may be and preferably are of a known form, comprising vertical pivots 5, connecting the axle spindles and boxes, and lever-arms 6 on the spindle parts, these lever-arms being connected by a rod '7, having connections 8, Fig. 2, with the steering-lever L, that is operated by the driver. In both arrangements, moreover, each of the rear pedestal-boxes B is constructed with rigid supporting-arms 9 and 10, preferably and conveniently distinct and horizontal, as represented. Of these arms the first serves to support a pivot-pin a, which holds a brakeband F in working position within an annular gear G or an equivalent brake-ring that is attached to the inner side of the adjacent rear wheel W concentric with its axle-spindle. The arm 10 serves tosupport a short rock-shaft I), connected by a toggle-joint 11 in customary manner with the ends of the brake-band for applying the brake and by a crank-arm 12 and connections 13 with the brake-operating lever L which is conveniently fulcrumed at 14 to the bottom of the body X. The brake-band F may thus be supported within such gear or brake-ring G with the utmost nicety of alinement, and its effective operation is thus insured. Apart from such supports the specific form of brake mechanism indicated forms no part of the present invention.

Another feature common to both of the improved equipments is the construction of each of the rear pedestal-boxes B (or one of them) with a rigid arm, which may be and preferably is said arm 9, to coact with the axle A for the support of the motor or motors M, the whole Weight of which is thus carried more directly than heretofore by this axle.

In the two-motor equipment, Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, each of the rear pedestal-boxes B is provided with said arms 9 and'lO, and the shaft of each motor M has a shaft-casing 15 for attachment to said arm 9 and carries its pinion 16 contiguous to the corresponding one of said brake-rings G, which in this arrangement is an annular gear having its inner surface adapted to coact with a brakeband F within it and its outer surface adapted to mesh with said pinion 16. Such mesh may An effective support is thus afforded the motor immediately at said pinion. The rear axle A which carries the principal Weight of the motor,as aforeaxle A is rotary, the pedestal-boxes B being in this case provided with suitable axle-bearings, while the wheels W are keyed fast on the protruding ends of the axle. This axle is, moreover, divided, as is customary, and connected by differential gear" 18 with the shaft of the motor M, so that the two wheels may rotate independently or at different rates of speed when the vehicle is turned. Such differential gear is Well known and forms no part of this invention. The motorcasing is connected with the supporting-arms 9 of the pedestal-boxes B by a bridge-rod 0, parallel with the axle A The motor may consequently be located centrally or at any preferred point on the axle. C and springs D (omitted in Fig. 5) maybe the same or substantially the same as in the two-motor equipment. The brake-band F may be either internal or external, the brakering G having no other function than to coact therewith.

The bearings within the hubs of the wheels W and W Figs. 1 to 4, and those within the pedestal-boxesB in Fig. 5, and other details which have not been specified may be of any known or improved construction.

Brake mechanism of other forms and motors of various kinds may obviously be supported in part by the pedestal-boxes B in substantially the manner above described. One of the arms 9 and 10 of each box may in some cases be omitted. The caps 2 of the springs D and D may be attached directly or indirectly to the sills of the vehicle-body in any approved way. Springs may be interposed between said bridge-rod c and the motor-casing in the single-motor equipment,

Fig. 5, as between the motor-casings and the arms 9 in Figs. 1 and 4:. Suitable brakes may be applied to pulleys P, Fig. 5, on the motorshafts or on the rotary axle A of the singlemotor equipment, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. Improved running-gear for an automo bile comprising two pairs of wheels with their axles, without connection between such axles themselves,vertically-movablepedestal-boxes connected in pairs by the respective axles and provided respectively with 'steeringheads and with brake and motor supports, springs interposed between said boxes and the bottom of the vehicle-body, and pedestals rigidly attached at top to the sills of said body, and serving to guide said boxes, and to transmit driving strain and shocks from wheel and axle directly to said sills.

The pedestals ea /3600 a in which said boxes are free to move vertically.

3. The combination,in running-gear for automobiles, of a non-rotary front axle comprising a pair of axle-spindles and a tie-and-strut body portion, a pair of pedestal-boxes within which the ends of said body portion are keyed fast, a pair of steering-heads formed in part by said spindles and boxes and comprising vertical pivots, and a pair of pedestals attached at top to the vehicle-body and in which said boxes are free to move vertically.

4;. The combination,in running-gear for antomobiles, of an axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes supporting the same and provided with brake- 2 5 supporting arms, pedestals attached to the vehiclebody and in which said boxes are free to move vertically,and brake mechanism sup ported in part by said arms.

5. The combination,in running-geart'orauo tomobiles, of an axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes supporting the same and provided wit-h brakesupporting arms,pedestals attached to the vehicle-body, and in which said boxes are free to move vertically, brake-bands and means 5 for applying the same supported in part by said arms, and wheels mounted .on said axle and provided with concentric brake-rings coacting with said bands.

6. Thecombination,inrunning-gearforau- 4o tomobiles, of an axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes supporting the same and provided with brakesupporting arms, pedestals attached to the vehicle-body, and in which said boxes are free to move vertically, brake-bands and means for applying the same supported in part by said arms, and wheels mounted on said axle and provided with concentric brake-rings within which said brake-bands are expanded.

7. The combination,in run hing-gear for automobiles, of an axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes supporting the same and provided with motor-supporting arms, and pedestals attached to the vehicle-body and in which said boxes are free to move vertically, a motor or motors supported by said axle and supporting-arms, a pair of wheels, and means for transmitting motion from said motors to said wheels.

8. The combination,inrunning-gearforautomobiles, of an axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes supporting the same and provided with motor-sup portin g arms, pedestals attached to the vehicle-body and in which said boxes are free to move vertically, a pair of motors supported by said axle and supporting-arms, a pair of independently-rotating wheels, and means for driving each wheel by the corresponding motor.

9. The combi11ation,in running-geariorautomobiles, of a non-rotary axle, a pair of pedestal-boxes fast on said axle and provided with motor-supporting arms, pedestals attached to the vehicle-body, and in which said boxes are free to move vertically, a pair of motors supported by said axle and supporting-arms, a pair of independent1y-rotating wheels loose on the protruding axle-spindles at the extremities of said axle, and means for driving each Wheel by the corresponding motor, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

LUOIUS T. GIBBS.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE W. WooD,

1. A. OoR'rnLvoU. 

